Chris Stephens, The Plain DealerFor quality and variety alone, the hand-crafted cocktails at Velvet Tango Room earned applause from "Destination Cocktails" author James Teitelbaum. Throw in live entertainment, no cover charge and fairly easy parking, the author adds, and it's an even bigger hit.

I feel a warm satisfaction whenever The Best Location is named in magazine articles and travel guides -- particularly those of an international bent. It was cool to page through "Destination Cocktails: The Traveler's Guide to Superior Libations"(Santa Monica Press, $19.95) and find Cleveland ranked among the spots where a fine cocktail can be had. (Though primarily American, the 400-plus-page book ventures throughout much of the world, albeit focusing on major destinations. Here in town it was Velvet Tango Room that got singled out by author James Teitelbaum. "After a dozen visits to [VTR], we have yet to be disappointed," Teitelbaum writes. The author also offers props to La Cave du Vin, Nighttown, Bier Markt, Flying Fig and Great Lakes Brewing Co. (as well as the defunct Dragonfly) And though Teitelbaum muses over why "is there really only one seriously kick-ass cocktail bar" here in town, he adds that "the one they do have is in the same league as their orchestra and hospitals -- world-class stuff, my friends."

DINING OUT

Over the last year, there has been no shortage of openings in the Cleveland dining scene. From barbecue to hot pot to coffee shops, this guide leads you through the new must-try additions to the city. ... Read more»